Awakening Love
by Amaya-san
Summary: Yes, yet another parody to 'Sleeping Beauty.' But what you are about to behold is different, casting Suzaku seishi Chichiri as the main role, having a few details switched around. How will the fairy tale end? Somewhat AU COMPLETE!
1. Part One

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi, sadly. All the glory must go to Yuu Watase. And I do not own the real 'Sleeping Beauty' story either. Also, my friend Ali (username: Suboshi no Miko) gave me the idea to write this parody; I can't take all the credit, can I? lol So, now that is settled, on with the story! Some swearing; baka Tasuki...huggles him   
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In late May, the entire Konan empire rejoiced, for the empress had given birth to a prince, whom they named Houjun. Guests from all over the empire were invited to partake in this blessed event, and that included three good faeries by the names of Nuriko, Kouji, and Tasuki. They had come to present gifts to the infant prince, including good looks, a great voice, and above all, a talent for magic.  
  
It was just after they gave the presents, the room grew dark and an ominous figure robed in black appeared from a burst of scarlet flames. The young princess of the neighboring country Sairou, Kouran-sama, clung to her mother's skirt in fear of the phantom's appearance.  
  
It was Tenkou, dark lord of hell. "Such a gathering..." he spoke calmly, standing tall before the throne with boldness that made everyone in the court shudder. "And all for this small child?" The three faeries gathered around the cradle to protect the prince as Tenkou's eyes, piercing gold surrounding black slits like those of a cat, shifted in that direction. He grinned at this, eyeing the small child as he lie sleeping contentedly, unaware of the danger nearby.  
  
Turning back to the throne, he studied the emperor. "I was troubled upon not receiving an invitation," his silky voice showed close to nothing of respect for the lord of Konan.  
  
"Yer not th'sort anyone in their right mind would wanna invite to a celebration like this," a redhead with fangs responded, a poised hand reaching over his right shoulder to retrieve a large metallic fan, while at the same time keeping his amber eyes fixed on the dark lord.  
  
To this, Tenkou merely smiled. Only, it wasn't a smile containing cheer or pleasantness. The corners of the mouth barely turned upwards and the eyes narrowed ominously at the faerie's words. And even so, he still spoke in that unnervingly calm, deep voice.  
  
"I see," he replied, scanning the different occupants in the large room. "And to think I came all this way to offer a gift to the newborn prince..."  
  
"Any gift ya have t'give probably wouldn't be appreciated." The faerie with the darkest complexion glared, a long vertical scar decorating his left cheek and dark blue bangs spilled out over a leather headband. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw. Beside him, the shortest of the three faeries tensed, raising his hands in front of him as two identical ornamented bracelets gleamed around his wrist, grasping a thin wand in one hand as wine-colored eyes surveyed the enemy from a distance.  
  
"It would be best if you left," Nuriko spoke evenly in a fine alto, face grimacing with dislike for the Lord.  
  
"Is that so?" Tenkou raised a pale, claw-like hand to one of his long white tresses, swishing it over his shoulder with a flicking motion from his wrist. "Even so, to show I bare no malevolent feelings, I shall bestow my present to his young highness."  
  
An incredible hush swept over the room, the void of sound almost deafening; they made no noise as the dark lord raised both hands out before his chest, forming a transparent sphere that levitated in front of him. A small gasp of astonishment washed over the court as the demon grinned, continuing his words. "Prince Houjun shall indeed grow accordingly so, as the three faeries have said..." As if by command the inside of the orb began to swirl, like smoke from an extinguished candle. Images blazed to life inside of it. Everyone beholding them gazed in wonder. "His kind heart will draw others to him, his voice will lend encouragement to those around him. Yes, he will grow into a fine prince indeed."  
  
He paused, scanning the room to find everyone's eyes peering up at him, immediately shooting back down should he try to meet any particular gazes. He captivated everyone, even the emperor and his empress, by the show of magic before them; waiting on edge for him to proceed. He couldn't keep them in suspense for long.  
  
"But..."  
  
His yellow eyes gleamed dangerously as his voice lowered sinisterly; white hair trembled as a cold chill washed through the room. "Before the sun sets on his 16th birthday, he shall receive a mortal wound over his left eye; once he has suffered and been torn from his physical body, his soul shall belong to me for all eternity in hell!"  
  
Horrified, the empress snatched her sleeping child from his crib, protectively holding him against her chest.  
  
Out came Kouji's sword, followed soon by Tasuki's tessan, and they rushed at the dark form, but Tenkou vanished from the palace with another burst of rose flames, laughing cruelly. Looking back, the two watched as the empress bitterly wept over the fate of her child, comforted by the emperor. Whispers of dread and sadness spread throughout the room as they watched the tiny child sleeping securely in his mother's arms, tears running down her cheeks as she placed a gentle kiss on his small forehead, rocking him as she mourned the thought of losing him.  
  
It was later, after the crowds had left and the faeries were alone with their rulers, that Nuriko proposed a plan to save Houjun's life. After discussing the matter with the royal family, and receiving a remorseful consent, the trio took the infant into the forest far away from the capital to live in a small abandoned house were for fifteen years they raised Houjun as their own, and to protect him, they renamed him Chichiri. The task was difficult, since they had decided from the beginning to abandon the use of their magical abilities in order to keep their presence a secret, but they were managing.  
  
Enraged that the young prince had mysteriously vanished without a trace, Tenkou sent out one of his demon minions, called Hikou, with the instructions to find the child and report back to him immediately. Quickly obeying, Hikou searched far and wide, but due to the three faeries' good plan, locating the prince proved difficult for a number of years.  
  
One day, he was strolling through the forest in his search when the sound of playful laughter caught his attention. Ducking behind a pine and cautiously peeking out over the side, he saw a small boy, no older than eight, running and jumping around in the atmosphere scented with fresh greens.  
  
The instant Hikou saw him; he knew that he must be the prince from the description the dark lord had given him. Disappearing fully behind the tall tree, Hikou silently concentrated on a spell and in less than a few seconds transformed himself into a child-like form that was close to the prince's current age.  
  
Taking a breath, he leaped out from behind the tree into the other boy's path, causing him to jump back, startled. "Hello! My name's Hikou! An' who're you?"  
  
Recovering from the sudden surprise, the cyan-haired boy glanced up, dusting off his clothing from having fallen down. "Hello, Hikou-kun! My name's Chichiri no da!"  
  
Lifting a brow at the strange speech impediment, Hikou pretended to like Chichiri and played with him in the woods. Behind his innocent smile, Hikou schemed to wait until the prince turned 16, and then fulfill the deed he had set out to do. But what he didn't realize was that he would end up liking the mortal child as time passed, and his purpose was temporarily forgotten as summer after summer and winter after winter drifted by, drawing ever closer to that increasingly not-too -distant season of the fateful day.  
  
--  
  
On the day of Chichiri's 16th birthday, the three fairies were unusually quiet and secretive, making the teenager wonder what they could be up to...and knowing their mischievous natures it made him worry.  
  
Now he was 16 and very skilled at using magic. He had grown into a fine young man, from his shimmering sky-blue hair usually kept back in a low ponytail with a section of bangs that ran down the side of his face to about his left cheek to his fair skin and dazzling mahogany eyes.  
  
It was the afternoon, and Chichiri walked by the mirror on the way out of his small room; quickly checking his reflection and seeing that everything looked in place. He then exited his chamber and strolled down the short flight of stairs to find the three faeries huddled together whispering, their backs to him.  
  
"Yeah, good idea." Kouji nodded, currently leaning on Tasuki's shoulder as if he were a piece of furniture.  
  
"But how're we gonna get 'im outta the house?" The redhead asked, growing slightly irritated by the dark-blue haired faerie's weight. Nuriko was growing just as agitated, glared daggers at Kouji, who smirked right back, before the purple-haired one continued.  
  
"Oh don't worry, I'll think of something. Now, what I was thinking we could do for tonight is-"  
  
"Hey you guys, no da." At Chichiri's sudden cheerful words, they all shot apart, standing with their hands folded behind them and looking like three little kids who were caught looking in the cookie jar before dinner. The teenager stared at them oddly. "What are you three faeries up to no da?"  
  
"Up to?" All three of them echoed, looking at one another for an elaborate lie to tell but finding that none of them had any idea of what to say.  
  
"Nothin', why would ya think that?" Kouji asked, casually leaning back against the wall and folding his arms over his chest. But at the same time, his body language suggested otherwise.  
  
"Up to?" Tasuki repeated the phrase once more. "Well, er, we uhm...Hey wait jus' a frickin' minute!" He scowled, yelling and showing off his trademark fangs. "I ain't no stinkin' faerie! I'm th' wielder of th' magic tessan! Not a faerie, got that kid?"  
  
"You're not?" Kouji's expression shifted from nervous to remorseful in a heartbeat, staring at the redhead with hurt-filled eyes. Tasuki's disposition changed almost immediately.  
  
"Oh Kouji I'm so sorry!!"  
  
"You should be..." The blue-haired faerie looked as if he were about ready to cry.  
  
Nuriko glowered at the two, clenching his fist while Chichiri simply stared. After fifteen long years, he had gotten used to this odd behavior, sad though it was. "I'm still waiting for an answer from you three, no da."  
  
'I'm gonna kill that kid if he says "no da" one more time...' Tasuki mentally swore, patting Kouji's back and rubbing in small circles as the two made up.  
  
The purple-haired faerie swallowed his rage for a moment and turned to him. "Well, we were just talking about dinner tonight. We, uh...wanted to know if you would go out and catch a fish to make for dinner..."  
  
"FISH?!!" Chichiri's eyes lit up immensely, suspicion vanishing in an instant. He loved to go fishing, and Nuriko knew this.  
  
The faerie gave himself a smile of satisfaction as the other two conversed behind them, being ignored by the womanly-looking man and the teenager. "Yes, we would like you to go catch a fish, if you wouldn't mind too much, Chichiri. Of course if this proves to be inconvenient for you, you don't have to..."  
  
"No trouble at all! I'll be back with the fish no da!" Grabbing his fishing pole and kasa, he rushed out the door before the other two could question Nuriko as to the boy's sudden excitement.  
  
Blowing on his well-manicured nails to show off he rubbed them against his collarbone. "He's still got it." He announced proudly to himself.  
  
Turning around to the two, Nuriko clapped his hands. "Well? What are you two faeries waiting for? We finally got him out of the house! Let's get busy!"  
  
"I AIN'T NO BLOODY FAERIE DAMMIT!!" Tasuki swore, so loudly in fact that Chichiri could still hear him as he sprinted the few miles away to the river where the fish were plentiful.  
  
Kouji's eyes watered again, becoming SDed. "Y-ya mean you're not, koibito?"  
  
Tasuki soon popped into SD as well, hugging his darker-skinned companion in apology. Nuriko SDed too, shouting orders. "Knock it off and get busy already!"  
  
At that moment, Nyan-Nyan popped up, levitating in mid air. "Hello! Do you need help with Houjun-sama's party? We can help!!" Almost instantly, the little teal-haired girl multiplied, almost flooding the small room of the cottage. "Hello Tasuki!!" they all chorused, piling onto the red head where he stood. "We fix your dirty mouth for you!!"  
  
"WHADDA YA FUCKIN' MEAN I GOT A DIRTY-"  
  
They all waved fingers at him disapprovingly. "Tsk tsk tsk. You need fixing! But don't worry; we can fix and cure anything!" Tasuki soon drowned in a sea of Nyan-Nyans, his hand the only thing exposed. Kouji gripped his stomach, laughing, while Nuriko just sweatdropped.  
  
"Uh, actually Nyan-Nyan," Nuriko spoke in an attempt to save Tasuki from being "fixed" by the magical imps. "We could really use your help with other things..."  
  
All twenty heads turned towards the violet-haired faerie. "That's right! Houjun-sama's party!! Okay! We will help get things ready! We can do anything! We're Nyan-Nyan!"  
  
"GIT OFFA ME RIGHT NOW!!!" Tasuki's muffled voice roared, sending up another chorus of giggles from the little girls.  
  
--  
  
Chichiri walked through the familiar woods he had known growing up, whistling a joyful tune as he walked down the well-known path that led to a small pond containing a great many fish. When he went out fishing, Chichiri almost always went alone and stayed there for hours leaning against his favorite tree and drifting into light dazes of relaxation.  
  
The boy sighed, realizing he wouldn't have enough time to do this. "Oh well... I can always come back tomorrow and..." His sentence stopped short. "...And..."  
  
Sitting bent over the pond, seemingly staring at her reflection, was a girl, looking to be just about his age. Her long hair spilled over one shoulder like a rippling waterfall of pale lavender, some of it held back by an indigo ribbon. A light rouge painted her soft lips; her bright hazel eyes glittering with life. She wore a fuchsia yukata, the hemming delicately lined with crimson. Sandals having been discarded nearby along the bank, she was barefoot, and sometime before he had arrived, she had stuck a delicate white flower in her shimmering locks. All Chichiri could do was stare, numb and unable to move; the only thing snapping him back to reality was the young woman's voice when she realized she was no longer alone.  
  
"Um, are you alright?" a sweet alto asked.  
  
Chichiri shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Er...yes! I'm perfectly fine, no da. I just came here to do some fishing but I didn't know someone else would be here too no da." He knew he must have sounded like an idiot and he would have smacked himself if she hadn't been looking directly at him. A faint tinge of red crept over his complexion as he looked back at her again.  
  
The girl brought a robed sleeve up to her mouth, concealing a smile. "Well, if you are going to fish, don't let me stop you...what was your name? I don't think I caught it."  
  
"Ch-chichiri no da."  
  
Again, the girl couldn't help but smile. "Nice to meet you, 'Ch-chichiri no da.'" She giggled when his face evidently showed greater embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't tease. It is a nice name. Oh, and my name is Kouran."  
  
Kouran...  
  
"Would you like to sit here in the shade?" She patted a patch of grass next to her invitingly, making the young prince nervous.  
  
"Uhh...if it wouldn't make you feel uncomfortable..."  
  
Kouran shook her head. "Not at all. Please, I rarely get to talk to anyone my own age. Come sit here."  
  
As if responding to a royal command, he walked over and seated himself a respectful distance away while still remaining in the shade. Silence reigned between them for a few awkward moments as Chichiri cast his line into the water and watched the ripples form in the pool from the line entering the glassy surface. A small sigh escaped him as he tried to force himself to relax.  
  
Kouran looked a bit shy as well, folding her hands together across her knees in an almost noble fashion, staring down at the water. She couldn't think of what to say to him now. Up close, she realized that this stranger looked more handsome than he had a few moments ago. When she was sure he wasn't paying attention, she stole glances at his face, blushing ever so slightly. And with each glance more and more butterflies accumulated in her stomach. "Um...so, you...like to fish, I take it?"  
  
Yanked from his own thoughts by the other, Chichiri responded back. "Y- yes. It's just very relaxing to sit here and, well, relax no da."  
  
"But what if you don't catch anything?"  
  
Chichiri shrugged. "It's still good to just get out sometimes, you know? But enough about me. What are you doing out here, Kouran-san, if you don't mind my asking no da?"  
  
She blushed more. For some reason, when he had said her name, even adding that cute little phrase afterwards, her heart wanted to skip a beat. She struggled to answer without leaving too much of a delay. "Oh I just wanted to get away...find some time to myself. And that's very hard to do in my position."  
  
"And why is that no da?"  
  
"Because I..." she paused thoughtfully. "It is simply because of my parents. They want me to take this high position and marry this man once we're old enough..."  
  
His heart sank as he outwardly tried to keep a smile. "Oh, I see." She was already betrothed to someone else. And here he had been hoping that... "What do you want to do no da?"  
  
She bowed her head reflectively, momentarily closing her eyes as she prepared her thoughts. Chichiri watched her. 'Gods, she looks beautiful,' he thought wonderingly.  
  
"I want to be free," she said after organizing her thoughts. "I want to wander around these woods everyday for the rest of my life. It's so quiet and lovely here...but if I marry, I can never come here again. And I don't want to lose this place."  
  
Chichiri nodded. "I would miss this place too no da. I grew up here in this forest with my three...uncles no da." He stumbled awkwardly over the word. Kouran noticed, but she didn't press.  
  
Sighing, she leaned back, looking up at the sky... "Oh no!" Getting up, she scurried over to where her sandals lay scattered on the ground and grabbed them, turning to Chichiri briefly. "I didn't realize it was this late! I'm so sorry, but I have to go! It was nice meeting you!"  
  
He was on his feet in a second, taking a few long strides to catch up with her dainty steps. "You're going home no da?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, I promised my parents I would be home by a certain time...oh they'll be so mad at me!" The lavender-haired girl glanced left and right anxiously. "Now where did my horse go? I need her to get back..."  
  
"I'll help you find it no da." Stepping back to avoid her curious eyes, he closed his own mahogany orbs and sent out magical feelers into the area around them. Within moments he located the object he sought. Tapping her on the shoulder, he pointed in the right direction. "Let's try this way no da."  
  
"B-but I came from that way..." She sighed. "Well, what have I got to lose?" Kouran stepped into the brush behind Chichiri, but was slow in following due to all the weeds and fallen stumps littering the path. The boy looked back to see that she was lagging behind, retracing his steps. Holding out a hand, he smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Need some help no da?"  
  
Blushing but nodding, she accepted his offered hand, shuddering at the tingles that traced up and down her arm as their palms came in contact. Trying to conceal some bashfulness of his own, Chichiri led her in the direction of her mount, coming across it very quickly. Once they stepped out of the thicket, they released hands, much to Kouran's disappointment.  
  
Turning quickly and walking to her steed, she hoisted herself up, sitting sidesaddle. Walking her horse over to him, she spoke. "When will I see you again, Chichiri-san?"  
  
"Daaa..." He fumbled for a bit. He couldn't believe he was going to say this, but he braced himself, quickly shooting out, "How about tonight no da?"  
  
She blinked; surprised that he would want to see her so soon. "And what would the occasion be?"  
  
Again, he stumbled, looking at the ground as if the grassy soil fascinated him. "Um...a birthday no da?" he nearly whispered, waiting for her to laugh at him. She did giggle, but it wasn't in a mocking way.  
  
"Oh how wonderful! I'll think of some excuse to leave my, uh, house for a bit. Where do you live? I will try to come."  
  
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A/N: WAI!! Well, what did you think for the first chappie? Read and Review to show your gratitude! Hee, just kidding. And hey, just so everyone knows, I know that 'Chiri actually receive that scar at age 18, but the fairy tale called for 16, so yeah...I was trying to follow the whole Sleeping Beauty plot as much as I could without making it corny! (My apologizes if a few of you still found this corny!!) Anyway, see you all in the next chapter!  
  
Amaya-san


	2. Part Two

Disclaimer: I do not own FY, which belongs to Yuu Watase-sama. ::bows in respect for the great manga-ka:: Also, I do not own the true tale of 'Sleeping Beauty', whoever wrote it lol (Please also try to remember my friend Suboshi no miko gave me the idea for this fic; it will make her very happy lol) On with the story!

**Last time: **

**Again, he stumbled, looking at the ground as if the grassy soil fascinated him. "Um...a birthday no da?" he nearly whispered, waiting for her to laugh at him. She did giggle, but it wasn't in a mocking way.**

"**Oh how wonderful! I'll think of some excuse to leave my, uh, house for a bit. Where do you live? I will try to come."**

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****

"Chichiri!" Hikou called, looking around for his best friend. The prince's three guardians had told him that he had gone fishing. Hikou sighed, scratching the back of his head as he walked. "Should have known that little fool would be out fishing... I've known him for nine years now, after all..." he muttered to himself, raising his hands up to his mouth again. "Hey Chichiri-"

He stopped, seeing his friend's thin form in a nearby clearing. Ducking behind a tree, he slowly peered around the thick trunk to see what was going on. He could hear a woman's voice as well as his friend's.

'Found your self a girlfriend, I see,' he silently snickered. 'It looks like he didn't even hear me calling him, the lover boy. His stupid head must be way up in the clouds...'

He gasped, withdrawing ever so slightly. 'Was that...?' Cautiously, he peeked out around the tree's bark once again. 'That girl he's talking to is Kouran-sama! What could _she _be doing out here?' He puzzled over this for several long minutes as he waited for the young lady to leave. Finally, with an enchanting smile and a small bow, Houjun's new friend remounted her horse and disappeared into the surrounding trees. Hikou stepped forward, ready to make his presence known...

When realization hit, and a sudden dread gripped him. "Oh no...Today is when Chichiri, or rather Houjun, turns sixteen! That means I have to..." Peeking out from behind the tree, he saw his friend still staring after the fading figure on horseback, a dreamy look on his face. Hikou closed his eyes and shook his head, a dark cloud forming over his conscience. No, he would worry about that later. For now, he had to maintain his act he had been keeping up for years.

Placing a convincing grin on his face, he crept out from behind the tree and sauntered over to his friend. "Well, well, lover boy! I see _you've_ been busy this afternoon!"

The cyan-haired youth snapped out of his own thoughts at the loud voice. "What...?" Chichiri wheeled around to find himself tackled by his longtime comrade. The two wrestled good-naturedly for a bit, Hikou finally winning and pinning his shorter companion against the base of a tree, grinning triumphantly.

"Isn't that sweet?" Hikou teased. "Little Chichiri finally found a girlfriend. Awww..."

"I'm not little no da!" He pushed his friend away, freeing himself. "And why were you spying on us anyway, hm?"

Hikou tried to look apologetic. "Oh sorry Chichiri; didn't think you needed any 'alone time' with her just yet...HEY!" A small rock hurled past his head, missing his scalp by only a fraction of an inch.

Chichiri frowned, cheeks consumed with red. "Get your mind out of the gutter and let's go home no da." He turned, retracing his steps back to where he had left his fishing pole by the pond.

Hikou followed him, an impish grin still planted firmly on his face. "Why? Will your new lady friend be waiting there, so the two of you can - AH, okay, okay I'm sorry!" he hastily cried as another rock came zinging past his ear. "Man, some people really can't take a little teasing..."

--

Since it was Chichiri's sixteenth birthday, the three faeries decided to be good just this once and try their hand at making gifts "the mortal way." After three hours, two tangled scarves, something that vaguely resembled instant ramen, and a badly crumpled origami swan, they unanimously declared that "the mortal way was for sisses" and broke out the magic. Still, they made certain to secure all the openings of the house and tightly block any cracks or crevices so none of their magic might escape. They never took chances at being discovered, even if the sixteen years were drawing to an end.

"I'll make him a lovely kesa!" Nuriko's declared, lifting up the bubble-pattern material from the nearby table. "And we'll make it pink!"

Tasuki's face wrinkled in disgust. "Pink ain't no manly color, Nuri-chan! Make it blue!" He aimed his tessen at the fabric and it instantly turned blue.

Nuriko frowned. "No, we're making it pink!" The cloth turned a feminine pink once again. "It's far prettier than your nasty blue!"

Tasuki rolled his eyes. "Nuriko, ma'be there's one thing ya ain't understandin' quite yet. An' that would be that he ain't a crossdresser like you! 'Chiri wouldn' wear that if ya paid him! Make it blue dammit!" Again, it returned to blue, and once more, it just didn't set right with Nuriko.

While the two bickered, Kouji was using his magic to make a suitable cake, trying to ignore the flashes of pink and blue out the corner of his eye. Glancing away from them, he noticed two Nyan-Nyans at work polishing a copper staff, one holding it up vertically while the other floated with a rag in hand, smoothing the ornamented top of the long rod.

'Well, at least _someone's _as focused as I am...' he thought dryly, looking back to the quarreling pair. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight that met his eyes. Tasuki had somehow been turned entirely pink while Nuriko was entirely blue, and the kesa was a strange mix of the two colors. "You jus' couldn' decide on th'right color, eh?"

Both glared, Nuriko picking up his present and moving away with his nose in the air. Tasuki sighed, placing his hands on his hips in annoyance and staring after him.

"So, uh, what'd you make Genrou?" Kouji was, of course, addressing Tasuki by his pet nickname.

Grinning back at the dark blue-haired faery, the entirely pink faery reached into the side pocket of his outer garment, retrieving a string of jade and crimson colored beads. "They'll help 'im t'focus his magic," he explained, his fanged smile widening as Kouji nodded in approval.

"Nyan-Nyan made him a pretty shakujou, see?" the two proud little girls held out their handiwork with accomplished pride.

"I made him a kesa! It'll be easier to get from place to place rather than squeezing into that little bamboo hat of his!" Nuriko smiled, holding up the finished product, which had returned to its regular shade of pink. "Plus it's so stylish! I made the pattern myself!"

"Oh, yeah, it suits him _real_ one, that lovely shade-a pink..." Kouji quickly turned back to finishing the cake before the other could pick up on the sarcasm in his voice.

"Isn't it?" Nuriko giggled happily.

"Shh! Listen!" Tasuki exclaimed, hushing all of them. The three faeries and two Nyan-Nyans paused, focusing their ears on an approaching sound from outside. The sound of familiar laughter...

"Hurry, I can hear him coming!!" Nuriko whispered as he quickly zapped himself back to his original colors and ran to the closet, grabbing Kouji's arm and dragging the poor guy behind him as he went. Nyan-Nyan giggled, vanishing with a small pop. Tasuki was back to normal and about to follow the other two, but stopped in front of the folded bubble-pattern robe and whispered, "Blue!" Grinning at his victory, he hurriedly scrambled for the hall closet as the cottage door began to creak open.

"Nuriko? Tasuki? Kouji? Are you guys here no da?" Chichiri's voice wafted down the hall, bright and cheerful as always, but there was another emotion that his guardians couldn't quite place. "Hello?"

There was a small pause, then Hikou's more mature voice sounded through the rooms. "Oh well, guess they're not here. Let's go back outside and go for another walk, okay?"

"Great Suzaku! What the...?" Chichiri exclaimed, seeing the items laid out on the table as he entered the kitchen. "What's going on here no da?"

The three faeries exploded from the closet, landing on the floor in a rather unceremonious dog pile. Nuriko was the first to his feet, putting his weight on the other two to assist himself in standing. The violet-haired faery flicked his long braid over his shoulder, grinning.

"Well, it is your birthday, isn't it?"

In the midst of all the excitement, Hikou silently snuck out the door, leaving the small "family" to themselves.

"Oh, Suzaku! This is amazing no da!" Chichiri cried. "I just can't believe all this is-"

Nuriko shoved the kesa in his face before he could continue, beaming proudly at his adopted son. "Here, try this on! I made it myself!"

Chichiri obeyed, examining the pattern of the robe and smiling. "It's wonderful, Nuri-chan no da. Thank-"

He stopped in mid-speech, blinking as something was slipped around his head from behind. He looked down at his chest where a string of jade and crimson beads hung; he turned to find Tasuki behind him, grinning broadly. "It should help ya focus th' skills we taught'cha." The redhead lifted his hand and playfully mused up the boy's hair. "Not that'cha really _need_ th' help, kid."

"Arigatou Tasu-chan no da." Hearing someone clearing their throat, Chichiri looked towards the direction of the sound, seeing Kouji holding out a strangely decorated copper staff with jingling rings. The blue-haired faery shrugged, handing it out for him to take.

"I didn' really make it, but that's also fer ya. What _I_ made was yer kick-ass cake." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the delectable pastry. "Genrou wanted t'make it, but it prob'ly woulda got burnt..."

There was a low growl in response to this remark.

Chichiri chuckled softly at Kouji's comment, unsure exactly how to handle all these surprises. "You three faeries were really busy this morning, weren't you no da?" he asked, looking from one to the next. Nuriko grinned at the sudden innuendo that popped into his head, but he held back from saying it and suppressed a giggle.

Cluelessly, Tasuki nodded. "Yeah, we - HEY! I ain't no stinkin' faerie! I thought I told'ja that this mornin', 'Chiri!"

"You're _not_?" Kouji turned away, bravely fighting back tears.

"Oh forgive me koibito! I didn' mean it!" Tasuki hugged him from behind, wishing he hadn't upset the other again. This would make three times in just one day, now. Nuriko glowered as usual while Chichiri simply sweatdropped, then cleared his throat.

"Oh, uh, daa... I'm just going to go outside and, um..."

Tasuki turned back towards the young man. "Eh? What's th' hurry? It ain't like yer waitin' fer yer girlfriend t'show up, after all!" Tasuki cackled at this, but received only silence in return. Surprised by the lack of a witty comeback, the fiery faerie darted across the room and into Chichiri's path, blocking him off from the door and his only escape route. "Hey, 'Chiri... Ya _don' _have one, do ya?" He watched as the teenager's cheeks turned a rosy pink, but Kouji spoke before he had a chance to comment.

"You met someone in th'woods t'day, Chichiri?"

The blush on his face only deepened, but at the same time a very silly smile was beginning to twitch at the corner of his mouth. He was thinking of _her_. "D-daaa...yes I did. Her name was..." He blinked, noticing how the trio didn't look nearly as thrilled as he had hoped. "What's the matter with you three? Why do you look so disappointed?" His cheeks flushed again, and he straightened to his full height. "I _am_ sixteen now no da..."

"Oh, no, it isn't that, dear," Nuriko calmly explained. "Its just that, well... you've already been betrothed, you see."

He blinked once, twice, three times. "What?" he finally said dumbly, as if his "uncle" had spoken a foreign language.

"Yer already betrothed," Kouji repeated, folding his arms across his chest and grinning in amusement at the boy's reaction.

"I'm wha... b... b-but how? And _when_?" Confusion twisted the young man's features.

"Since the day you were born. And to a princess," Nuriko added, his wine-colored eyes showing concern for his foster child. The thoughts and emotions swirling through the youth's mind were easy to see, and it was all confusion, disbelief, and something nearing anger.

"...But... but that's..." Chichiri struggled to grasp this information, but it seemed to slip through his fingers each time. There was just no way... no way what they were saying was true! "That's impossible!" he cried, finally finding his voice. "If I was engaged to a princess, then I would have to be..."

"A prince?" Tasuki asked, flashing his treasured fangs in a devilish grin.

"But that's just it. You _are_ a prince, Houjun-sama," Nuriko said, taking his hand and patting it consolingly. "I'm sorry if this is too much to handle right now, but it's the truth. Tonight, we are supposed to take you back to your real mother and father..."

"B-but...I told her I would be here..." he protested somewhat weakly. "She said she was going to meet me here tonight..."

"We're real sorry, kid, but there ain't nothin' we can do about it," Kouji said, holding out his hands as if to show his helplessness.

"An' there's no way ya can see that girl again," Tasuki added, his grin disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

Chichiri closed his mahogany eyes, shaking his head hard. "No! No, no, no! I can't possibly believe all this! I'm royalty -- real royalty -- and you kept it from me all these years?!" He looked up, his eyes pleading, his hands clenching at the air, every ion of his body showing the passion that was in his words. "Why would you do that?! Why?!"

"It was to protect you Chich... Houjun-sama," Nuriko attempted to explain.

"Well now's a fine time to tell me!" the prince yelled, stepping away from the trio and moving closer to the hallway. "I don't believe this! I don't believe any of it!" He turned, storming out of the room. Nuriko raised his hand and opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. A few moments later they heard the youth's door slam shut.

"An' here we thought he'd be thrilled..." Kouji murmured, suddenly very interested in staring at the floor.

--

Chichiri, or Houjun as he was now called, paced back and forth in his room, attempting to cool his temper. He shook his head in disbelief numerous times, as if the action alone could shake off this horrible evening. How could it be true? How could he possibly be a prince? Chichiri just couldn't picture it.

Looking down at the garments he wore and fingering the material of his new kesa between his thumb and index finger, he turned his gaze to the moon outside. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes in an attempt to escape life's sudden complications. "Everything seems so...out of place! I...I can't really be a prince...can I?" He frowned, opening his eyes again and casting a glance at the door to his room. He was already starting to regret yelling at his trio of "uncles." The idea that they'd known all along and never once told him still hurt, but deep down he knew they'd only been trying to help him. And he knew they cared for him very much. As far as he was concerned, _they _were his real family. An odd one, he thought with a smile, but a family nonetheless.

Once again a sigh, though calmer than the one before it, worked its way past his lips. "I wish I had more control over my anger no da. I wouldn't have yelled at them if..."

His eyes suddenly flashed open, mahogany orbs dilated and the pupils contracting so much so that they were almost lost in the sea of rich brown. A strange sound... Coming from his open window? What was it?

_Come..._ a distant, low voice whispered. Who it was, Chichiri had no idea. He felt so light, as if he might be walking on air. Slowly gliding to the window, so silently that his slippers made no sound on the wood, he looked out onto the surrounding forests. He blinked, surprised to see Hikou standing below his window, waiting for him with a wide grin on his face.

"Well come on Chichiri, you wanna see that girl before they force you to go back to the palace, don't you?"

That girl...

...Kouran...

The cerulean-haired youth nodded in a mesmerized manner, still under the influence of that odd sound. He quietly slipped through the sill and landed beside his best friend. He was not even puzzled as to how his old comrade knew that he was a prince. The thought never even crossed his mind, so lost was he in the thought of seeing Kouran again. Hikou led the way, deeper and deeper into the forest, and Chichiri had no choice but to follow.

--

"Well, t'night definit'ly went well..." Tasuki grumbled, collapsing into a chair with a groan, slouching lazily and resting his chin in his hand. His voice dripped sarcasm. "Best damn birthday ever, wouldn't'cha say?"

"We can't really blame him," Nuriko reminded the others, seating himself in another nearby chair. "I mean, finding out that you're a prince, and not just a simple orphan... and learning that the people you trusted kept it a secret for so many years..." The faerie blinked back tears, sniffing visibly. "I wouldn't blame him if he never talked to us again."

Kouji remained leaning against the wall. "Poor kid... an' meetin' that girl this evening didn't help either, whoever she was. Sure hope this doesn't jeopardize things with Kouran-sama. It's bad enough that she's his fiancée, but bein' th' princess of Sairou, too..."

"Why does 'Chiri have t'marry her anyway?" Tasuki spoke up, anger burning in his eyes. "He meets a girl, falls head over heels fer her, comes home an' finds out all we've ever told 'im is a lie, an' on top-a that he can't never be with her jus' 'cause he's a prince? That ain't fair!"

"I know it isn't, Tasu-chan," Nuriko soothed, placing a hand on his companion's broad shoulder. "But that isn't for us to decide. I'm sorry for Houjun-sama right now too, and for keeping such a secret from him for so long, but..."

Kouji pushed away from the wall, every muscle in his body tensing. "Did you hear that?"

The redhead and the violet-haired faerie grew silent and pricked their ears to the surrounding woods. After a moment, a faint chiming noise reached their ears, coming somewhere from the nearby woods...

Their eyes widened. "Chichiri!" The trio hurried up to his room, bursting through the door and glancing about wildly for their young charge. But nothing stirred in his room save for the curtains blowing in the breeze.

Hurrying over to the window, Tasuki strained his ears to pick up the sound again. He heard it clearer this time, and coming from directly ahead. Without hesitation, he leapt from the second floor, landing lightly and sprinting for the forest. He was much faster than the other two, and was confident that he would find the prince before anything could happen. He _had_ to find the prince before anything could happen...

Hikou paused, sensing a presence approaching them at an incredible speed. He threw a look over his shoulder, eyes widening as he saw the fiery-haired faery approaching them at a breakneck pace.

"'Chiri! Stay where ya are!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, Chichiri turned slowly, his placid expression never once wavering. Tasuki noticed the youth's almost trance-like state, and he didn't like it at all. "'Chiri, what's wrong with ya?" he turned to the other young man. "An' Hikou, what're you two doin'...?"

Hikou's narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Don't interfere!" He flung his hand forward as small wings sprouted from his back, giving him the power he desired. He sent a whirling torrent of water in Tasuki's direction.

"What th'hell?!" Tasuki's eyes widened, reaching for his tessan as the unexpected attack soared towards him. But the water hit him full force before he could react, knocking him back a few paces and slamming him into a tree. Seizing the moment, Hikou quickly called upon his powers to take himself and the prince elsewhere - and far away from these meddling faeries. A whirlwind of water surrounded them, encasing and teleporting the comrades to another place in the woods just as Nuriko and Kouji joined up with the redhead.

Tasuki spluttered, coughing up water and fighting to get his breath back. He glanced up weakly at his two friends, managing to gasp out: "Hikou... Hikou took him... has magic, th' jerk... we gotta... we gotta go after him!"

"Water magic, I take it?" Nuriko said with a dry chuckle, assisting his drenched friend to his feet with one quick tug. He sobered up immediately, glancing around and frowning intently. "This is bad... come on, you two. If we don't find him soon, there won't _be_ a prince to worry about."

---

"Hi...kou?"

The taller youth looked over his shoulder. "What is it Chichiri? This is the way we came after I found you talking to that girl, right?"

The other nodded slowly, his friend's words taking a moment to penetrate through his current haze. "But I was just thinking..." his voice was dull, emotionless. "What about...them?" His body turned slowly back the way they had come, some part of him still thinking clearly enough to worry about the three faeries. "I left without telling... they might worry about me..."

Panic spread across Hikou's face. Even though they weren't calling out to him, their presences were pulling the prince back, and breaking through the spell, if only slightly. The young man jerked his friend's face back to stare him straight in the eyes, even though the deep brown eyes he gazed into looked far away and dreamy. "Chichiri, they don't matter anymore, right? They lied to you for sixteen years, remember? You don't need people like that! So just don't think about them anymore." A flicker of reluctance flitted through the dull orbs, so Hikou placed the final nail in the coffin. "You want to see this girl again, don't you?"

Kouran...

"Then let's keep going. We're almost there, I promise." This time, to prevent another incident, Hikou grabbed his friend by the arm and forcefully drug him along. Houjun followed without a struggle, but that was expected. He wouldn't fight anymore, Hikou was certain of that. And it wouldn't be long now... just a little further...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: MWAHAHA!! I'm so evil to left you all in suspense this time!! Try not to hate me too much lol ::ducks as random objects are flung her way:: R&R please!

-Amaya-san


	3. Part Three

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the anime known as Fushigi Yuugi; it belongs to the wonderful Yuu Watase-sama! I do not expect to gain any profit from writing this, so I better not get any flames about that! On with the story!

**Last Time:**

**"Then let's keep going. We're almost there, I promise." This time, to prevent another incident, Hikou grabbed his friend by the arm and forcefully drug him along. Houjun followed without a struggle, but that was expected. He wouldn't fight anymore, Hikou was certain of that. And it wouldn't be long now... just a little further...**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After ducking against her horse's neck to avoid a low tree branch, Kouran righted herself quickly, flicking her long lavender locks back over her shoulder. 'Wow, I really can't believe my parents were gullible enough to let me ride out tonight!' she thought, looking up at the starry night sky. 'I'll probably get into trouble later, but that's all right. As long as I get to see...' a hot blush consumed her cheeks as her inner musings shifted to a certain individual. 'Chichiri... Maybe tonight I'll show him the stars. If we can find a clearing in the woods, and just lie down and stare up at the sky...' The thought of being that close to him further reddened her complexion. Kouran turned her mind towards other things, glancing ahead at the path before her.

That is, until something moved a little ways off of the trail that made her glance aside. She lightly tugged at her horse's reins, halting their progress.

'Chichiri?'

She peered closer and nodded, recognizing the attractive face in an instant. She frowned. 'He's walking alone in the woods at this hour? I'm sure he wouldn't do something that foolish.' She didn't seem to realize that she was doing just that. 'There has to be someone out there with him...' But she certainly couldn't _see_ anyone else. She frowned deeper, watching him carefully. There was definitely something wrong with this picture. The way he walked...it was so stiff, too perfect to be natural. His feet, though they touched the ground, almost seemed to glide over the forest floor. The grass made no sound beneath him. A chill in the air whispered foreboding in her ear, rearranging the locks of lavender hair that fell over her shoulders and sending a shiver up her spine.

Climbing down from her horse, Kouran carefully picked her way through the woods, moving around trees and avoiding thorn bushes in her efforts to reach him. As she drew near him, a stab of uncertainty seemed to pierce her already disturbed conscience. She hesitated, but he didn't even seem to realize she was there. The young man continued walking as if she were no different from the trees scattered around them. She frowned, reaching out and lightly grasping the off-white garment of his sleeve. "Chichiri?" A light tremor was in her voice as she spoke, and her fear only grew when he didn't so much as blink at the mention of his name or the touch of her hand.

"Chichiri?" she said more urgently, tugging at his arm now with both hands. "What's the matter with you? Answer me, Chichiri!"

Finally, he seemed to acknowledge her and stopped walking. His eyelids came down, hooding his mahogany orbs momentarily; he shook his head a few times to rid it of some of the haziness clouding his mind. He looked around and gave a little start, surprised to find himself in the forest and not in the safety of his home.

"What...? What am I doing out here...?" Feeling a presence beside him, he turned to see Kouran standing there, looking concerned. "Kouran-san? What are you...why are we out here no da?"

"I don't know," she admitted, relief evident in her voice. At least he wasn't acting like such a zombie anymore. "I was riding to our meeting place when I saw you walking here alone in the woods...and...you seemed... well, you seemed very strange, Chichiri."

Now it was his turn to look confused. "I seemed strange no da? What was I doing that made me look...?" He shook his head, clearing away the last remnants of fogginess. But he couldn't quite shake off the feeling of unease, as if something were horribly, horribly wrong. "Never mind, let's just head back to the cottage. I have a bad feeling about this..."

Kouran nodded, still holding tightly to his arm. She was afraid of what might happen if she let go. As they turned to head back to Chichiri's home, they noticed a strange light pulsing nearby. Both paused where they were as they watched its luminous power increase. Chichiri hesitated, wondering if he should cast a barrier or if he and Kouran should simply run for it, but before he could reach a decision the light flared, and enveloped them both.

Chichiri blinked, warily surveying the new eerie environment. He unease was only increasing, and he was starting to catch vague memories of the time that must have passed between when he was in his house and when Kouran found him. He brushed them aside for the moment and focused on the present situation. They were in a stone tavern of some sort, the walls an ebony black with swirls of deep purple splashed over their surface. Kouran trembled slightly, holding onto his arm now with both hands, pressing close to him, his touch bringing some security to her suddenly very frightening world.

The prince blinked, looking around until his eyes landed on his friend. Hikou stood there calmly, a faint glow emitting from his body. His mahogany orbs widened – since when had _Hikou_ known sorcery? "H-Hikou? What's going on? Where are we? What is this place...?" His voice took on a serious tone, dropping the usual phrase that followed most of his words. He tried to take a step towards his friend, but the girl beside him grasped his arm tightly, making movement extremely difficult. He glanced down at her, then back up at his comrade, a question in his eyes. "H...Hikou?"

Snickering, his childhood friend turned to face him fully, a mist encircling his body and changing him back into his original form. His simple robes shimmered and were replaced by well-tailored, almost garish garments. Far more disturbing, however, were the large, translucent wings sprouting from his back. The smirk never left his face. "Why, Chichiri. Don't you know?" he asked in a mocking tone. "This is hell. And now that you are sixteen, I can properly fulfill the prophecy of the curse that Tenkou-sama placed on you, all those years ago. And there's nothing those pathetic sprites who tried to hide you can do about it...." his lips parted in a grin. "_Houjun-sama_."

"'Houjun-sama'?!" Kouran's face spun to meet Chichiri's bewildered ones, though his eyes were focused ahead on his friend. 'Sprites? Faeries? How can this possibly make any sense...' Something in the back of her frightened mind sparks an old memory, and her eyes widen visibly. 'Houjun...he was...betrothed to marry me at one time. This must mean...that this is Houjun. Chichiri is Houjun. Then, then that means...?'

Chichiri's thoughts were completely different from the thoughts of the princess. What was happening to them? And why was Hikou acting this way? This was not how his friend would act. This was all wrong... it was just all wrong! "What!? You can't seriously believe that I'm some kind of prince, can you? I, I know I can't, I can't possibly... Hikou what's going on? What's _wrong_ with you?"

"You were never told, were you?" Hikou turned slightly to the side, folding his hands into the long flowing sleeves of his robes. "When you were an infant, Tenkou-sama placed a curse on you. Those three idiot faeries _tried_ to save you from your fate by raising you in the forest until you had passed the age of sixteen. They thought the prophecy couldn't be fulfilled." His smirk widened. "But Tenkou-sama has ways of finding things that disappear. And now that I have found you, I – will – kill you!" He cupped his hands together, blue energy quickly accumulating in his palms. Quick as a flash, he threw the magic directly at the pair.

Kouran cried out and closed her eyes tightly. Chichiri pulled her against him, while at the same time grasping the prayer beads that hung from his neck. A dome-like barrier formed around them just as the blast struck, saving them from the powerful magic but not from the aftershock. The floor shook violently beneath them, causing the two to lose their balance and pulling them to the floor. The pair immediately found themselves in a tangle on the floor, with Houjun at the bottom of the pile.

Hikou lowered his hands; he seemed very pleased. "That was an impressive barrier you set up, Houjun. But it won't hold out for long. I'll find a way in, don't you worry."

Kouran gasped, her hand lightly clutching the material of her protector's white shirt.

"He's right, you know."

The girl's head jerked up; she stared into the young man's eyes in surprise. "Chichiri...?"

He looked down at her, fires of both anxiety and betrayal burning in his mahogany orbs. "Kouran, I'm going to try and use a spell to transport you out of this place. Look for the cottage and warn the faeries. Tell them where I am. They should be able to get here on their own."

"B-but if you can do that, then we'll escape together!"

He shook his head. "I don't think they'd make it that easy for me to leave. Besides, if you're near me, then _you're _in danger, and I won't let that happen." She opened her mouth to protest, but Chichiri cut her off. "We don't have that much time to discuss this!" Already the barrier trembled, already starting to weaken. Kouran's head jerked upright as the dome flickered violently around them; Hikou was already preparing a good-sized chi blast to send their way the moment it vanished.

"I'm sending you now!"

Finally undoing his kesa, he threw it over her, taking her up into it and out of danger. 'At least I know she's safe...' His eyes widened as the barrier disintegrated, leaving him no alternative but to grasp his robe and tumble out of the way of another chi blast. Righting himself on his knees in a crouch after re-securing his kesa, he stared at his opponent, panting hard and frowning deeply.

Someone whom he had trusted with everything, who he had spent so many years with, out of the blue, hated him and wanted him dead. Or, or had he wanted him dead from the very beginning? Had Hikou really just been tricking him all along? But how could that be possible?! Hikou was – had been – his friend... he was sure of it...!

His breath hitched in his throat, and he was yanked from his reverie as he dodged, avoiding yet another flash of dark energy. He gasped, silently berating himself for his foolishness. 'I won't have a chance to even _think_ about those questions if I don't start paying attention and defending myself.' Reaching into his kesa, he extracted his staff. The rings ornamenting the top jingled as he positioned it horizontal to his body, clasping his prayer beads with the other hand as he silently began to chant a spell.

---

Kouran appeared somewhere in the forest, collapsing to her knees from the weightless travel she had just experienced. But she didn't stay there long. The instant she caught her breath she was on her feet again. "Chichiri! I have to find those three faeires...but where do I start?! I've never even _been_ to the cottage before..."

Inhaling, she straightened herself, still trying to calm her hands from shaking by clenching them at her sides. "Well, standing here isn't going to do me any good. I have to try and find them! We need to get back to him before it's too late!" She chose a direction and, praying to the gods she was right, took off in a dead sprint, her simple yukata tugging at her heels as she ran. 'Please... please hang on, my love!'

--- 

Scowling, Hikou quickly whipped up another attack, sending it full-force at the prince. Chichiri's eyes flew open in concentration.

"Ban bukyuu chou hou na hobaku...KA!!" Bright crimson energy exploded from his form, colliding with the force of Hikou's attack, canceling both out with a loud boom. Winds gusted past the young prince, scattering his kesa about and cyan bangs to and fro across his face as he peered through the light to the faded form of his best friend.

After it had nearly settled, Hikou straightened in the gloom, staring down at his enemy. He hadn't been expecting the teenager to be so strong. As he eyed him longer, the servant of the devil noticed the emotion that coursed through Chichiri's bright eyes; he noticed the pain that this battle was causing him. Squinting a bit, Hikou briefly tapped into the other's life force and found amazing strength warming every inch of his body. He was much more powerful than Hikou had expected.

He froze with a sudden realization. This could have been over long ago. Houjun could have simply finished him off without the need of teleporting the girl away from this place. But he hadn't. He sent her back while he himself stayed to confront his opponent. But he didn't sense any hatred simmering in the other's shining aura. He only sensed a longing to know, to understand... to forgive.

Hikou's expression softened a little. "Why...?"

"That's what I've been trying to ask you this entire time," Chichiri replied in his kind voice, setting his staff so that it was upright in his hand. "Why are you taking orders from this Tenkou? Who is he and what have I done to deserve death?"

Hikou lowered his eyes to the floor, saying nothing. The silent conflict going on within him was raging. He knew he should tell him; he had a right to know. And besides, Chichiri was his best friend for gods' sakes!! He grinned humorlessly at that thought. Best friend, hm? For he last few minutes, he had been trying to kill Chichiri! What sort of a "friend" was that? He didn't deserve such a title.

Not being one to give in too easily, Chichiri took a few steps forward, knowing they were at a ceasefire. "Hikou, please tell me. We're...we're still friends aren't we? We _are_, right?"

Hearing that familiar, gentle voice even after what he had done – after what he was doing – was becoming unnerving. He didn't deserve a second chance from someone he had only moments before tried to destroy. Sensing that the prince was drawing closer, Hikou lifted his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything a darker form appeared in front of him.

Alarmed, Houjun stepped back. "Who are...?"

Hikou's irises shrank. "T-Tenkou-sama...!"

Smirking, the demon's long hair blew outwards as he raised a hand in Chichiri's direction; before the young prince had a chance to react he was blown backwards into a rock wall and held there by an invisible force. Pain exploded through his body; his skin stung as the ferocity of the attack pounded all over his pinned form. His face was stretched back in a tight grimace, but he held back an outburst that would have shown his obvious distress. He wouldn't give his enemy that kind of pleasure. A small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his tightened mouth; seconds later he mentally cursed, realizing that he had lost grip of his staff.

Chuckling softly and enjoying the sight of the writhing form before him, Tenkou stepped forward to get a better look at the child he had sought out for 15 long years. The clawed hand reached out to roughly grasp the prince's neck. The demon lord jerked the young man's chin up sharply, earning a grunt of pain from the prince.

Smiling coldly he turned the head so that Chichiri's closed left eye faced him in full. He calmly traced an invisible line with his fingernail over the smooth flesh of the eyelid, moving in a straight line towards the bridge of his captive's nose as if drawing out a design on the flesh.

Panic gripped him as his mind cleared, and Hikou pushed himself up, rushing over to the two. "Tenkou-sama! Please don't do it! I beg you, please: spare his life!"

The demon lord lifted his head just slightly, eyeing his servant with his piercing cat-like stare. There was obvious amusement in his eyes. "My revenge is nearly complete. For fifteen long years I have awaited this moment, and now you tell me that I must not touch him?" He temporarily released the prince's face with a small shove; leaving him to cope with the pain he was still experiencing. "Do not forget, Hikou, you consented to aiding me in this venture. Have you changed you mind? Have you become _friends_ with your prey?" His tone was amused and almost kindly, but there was an icy layer at the bottom of the words that sent an invisible shudder down Hikou's back. The young man stood rooted in his place, unable to break eye contact with his demon master.

"Y-yes," Hikou agreed, his voice shaking almost uncontrollably. "Houjun... he, he is... I th-think..."

Lifting his hand parallel to his face, the scarlet jewel inserted into the golden headband around the dark lord's forehead glowed almost pink. Instantaneously a similarly colored aura orbited the demon's hand.

Sensing the inevitable torture, Chichiri struggled against his invisible bonds, desperate to reach his friend. "H-Hikou...!"

"Stupid boy." Tenkou's smiling face suddenly contorted into a look of pure rage. Hikou was too terrified to move. "You aren't _allowed_ to think!"

Scarlet fire burst from the floor beneath the young man, enveloping his powerless form in a dome of searing heat and unbearable pain. His wings burst into flame; his flesh boiled away at the touch of the hellish flames. Hikou had time for one scream, just one, before his body went up in a cloud of blood and smoke. Tenkou looked on impassively as the inferno died down, the red and orange tongues of heat gradually melding back into the floor, until they too were gone. Only an empty patch of scorched stone and showed the signs of the slaughter. Only one, blackened feather was left to tell the tale of a servant called Hikou, who had been foolish enough to love a human.

Tenkou picked the single feather up between his clawed fingers, coolly grasping it in his palm and grinding it to dust. "Humph," he thought aloud, opening his hand once again to allow the charred particles to drift mournfully to the ground. "Thoughtless bastard left a stain on the floor."

---

Panting heavily, Kouran raised her hand to her forehead, brushing back her lavender bangs and scanning the surrounding forest. "I'm beginning to wonder if I _did_ go the wrong way..." She turned in a complete circle, trying to decide where to run next.

It was getting late and it was hard to tell where the path was anymore. Scrapes and scratches from brambles and thorns had torn at the delicate skin on her legs. The small wounds burned slightly, but she hardly noticed them. Adrenaline coursed through her slim frame, and all she could think about was her young lover. "Please Chichiri... please be safe," she prayed, a small sob choking her speech. Picking up her courage once more, she darted forward, praying that the gods would guide her down the right path.

---

Not too far away, Tasuki, Kouji and Nuriko were still out and about searching for the prince. After Tasuki's encounter at the edge of the woods with Hikou, and after hearing the redhead's description of the prince's actions, they feared the worst.

Tasuki, with his tessen held overhead and blazing brightly to light their way, led the way while all three called out to their adopted son.

"Chichiri! Houjun-sama! Chichiri!" Nuriko anxiously cried, cupping his hands to his mouth to increase the volume of his feminine voice.

"'Ey 'Chiri! Where th'hell are ya?! Answer us, will ya?!" Tasuki yelled, having no difficulty in carrying his voice.

"Kid! Where are ya?!" Kouji shouted into the treetops, hoping the wind would help carry his voice to the prince. "Where could he 'ave gone?" he whispered, more to himself than the others.

Nuriko let out a squeak of surprise as he heard a rustling in some nearby bushes. Kouji had already drawn his sword and Tasuki shifted into a fighting position, tessen raised at the ready. But instead of the wild animal they had feared, a girl popped out of the brush, falling to her knees after tripping on a tree root and panting heavily with exhaustion. All three relaxed visibly, but didn't completely let their guards down just yet.

Nuriko stepped out from between the two, making his way over to the young woman and kneeling next to her. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Looks like you've been doin' a lotta runnin', miss," Kouji added, about to sheath his sword when noticed the tears on the hem of her yukata and the scrapes on her sandaled feet. What he also noticed was a light dusting of salty water that decorated her cheeks. The girl had been crying. "H-hey..."

"What'cha runnin' from?" Tasuki questioned, letting his now extinguished tessen rest against his shoulder.

Still unable to control her breathing, Kouran looked up into the face of the one before her, and then the two behind her... or was it "him"? She couldn't tell with the first one, though she could definitely tell the other two were male. "Looking...three faeries...Chichiri's in trouble...!" She managed to gasp out, causing the trio's eyes to narrow in unison.

Nuriko grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to be gentle as he gradually forced her to look up at him. The other two clustered closer, eager for news of the cyan-haired child they had raised. "Where? Where is he?!"

---

Chichiri saw it all through one squinted eye, but had been powerless to do anything. The pain still coursed through his body, but he barely felt it anymore. All he could do was stare numbly as the flames died down, leaving nothing of his friend behind. He had been standing there, just a moment ago, trying to fight for Chichiri's life... and then... and then...

The pain in his soul flared and merged with a rising, pounding anger. His outstretched hands clenched in rage. "T-Tenkou, you...!!" He winced, feeling the pressure around him increase against his battered body. Hot tears stung his eyes, threatening to fall. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything. He hadn't even been able to help Hikou, and now the man was dead. _Hikou_ was _dead_. Tenkou had murdered him! Tenkou had murdered his _best friend_! His best friend, who had always been there for him, even at the very end, even when facing down a demon lord...And he hadn't been able to thank him, or at least say good-bye, or... or... The tears fell, now, but it wasn't from the pain in his body. "Damn you...!"

Tenkou flashed his teeth in a vicious smile. "We are already _in_ hell, you fool." He turned slowly, taking a few steps back from the paralyzed form still held to the wall. Facing him, the demon lord raised his hand once again, taking aim. "My revenge is complete now." They were the only words he said. Then, he fired.

The attack headed straight for Chichiri, forming into a vicious, deadly point as it went and flying straight into his left eye. The flesh exploded in a blaze of crimson; he could only scream out in pain as the warm blood poured from the wound, moving swiftly down his face to fall, dripping, against the cold stone floor.

But all too soon an odd tiredness filled his being, and the injury seemed to go numb. He wanted to escape the pain – he _had_ to escape the pain! – and this was absolutely the only way to do it. His breath escaped in shallow gasps, and he felt his good eyelid falling shut. But even those simple feelings seemed to disappear in the cascade of crimson fire; soon everything became a single numbness. Even his mind blanked, as he slowly seeped into blissful, peaceful darkness...

'Kou...ran...'

His head sagged to the side, and Tenkou allowed the battered form of the prince to fall limply to the floor, his precious blood flowing across the bridge of his nose to drip down and pool at the demon lord's feet.

But it wasn't over just yet. As expected, Tenkou soon sensed the presence of two, three... no, _four_ auras approaching. He turned to see who would appear next, an almost excited grin lighting his wicked features. With a puff of green smoke the three faeries appeared, with Kouran tucked protectively between Tasuki and Kouji. The girl looked anxiously around, desperate to find Chichiri.

The demon lord was blocking their view of the young, dying prince, but Tenkou himself was easy to spot. Tasuki's amber orbs locked on the demon's own eyes. He gritted his teeth in a ferocious growl and readied his tessen. "Where _is_ he, Tenkou?! What the hell have you _done_ with him?!"

"You wish to know?" he asked calmly, his left hand grasping the material of his black robe.

"Tell us _now_!" Kouji ordered, unsheathing his blade. Nuriko's hands clenched into fists and he stood beside the dark-haired faery, ready to fight if the need arose.

Letting out a small chuckle, the dark lord directed his gaze to the stony floor of the cavern. "Very well. Here is your precious Houjun-sama." He swept back his robes, unveiling the blood-covered form of the fallen prince.

Their breaths hitched in their throats at the sight, Nuriko's hands flying up to his mouth to stifle a cry. All Tasuki and Kouji could do was stare in disbelief, willing the image to disappear. This wasn't true. This couldn't be true!

In a few moments Kouran's terrified scream broke through the air. She ran to her fallen love, kneeling down beside him and crying out his name over and over.

Satisfied by their reaction and drinking in their silent rage and remorse, Tenkou vanished from the area with a small flash of flame, the echo of his dark laughter echoing off the stone walls.

Kouran didn't even notice his exit; all her attention was focused on the fallen man. She carefully turned him over, lifting him up into a sitting position so his limp body leaned against hers. Kouran stroked his bloodied bangs away from his face, pressing her palm against the still-bleeding wound. "Chichiri!" she whispered, brushing the blood out of his face and running a hand along his cheek. He was so cold. She wrapped her arms around him in a desperate attempt to warm his dying body, resting her cheek against his forehead and rocking them back and forth slowly while small sobs wracked her body. "Chichiri...Houjun please! You can't leave me alone! Come back! Come back! Chichiri..."

The trio of faeries stood quietly in shock, still unable to move, still unable to believe what was happening. "W-what...do we do now?" Nuriko finally stuttered, his hands shaking as he tried to lower them from his face.

Kouji, always the practical one, managed to snap out of his daze. He glanced at the other two, a grim frown on his face. "Well, for starters, let's get those two outta here. I don' like this place." The tanned faery glanced around, looking in all directions uneasily.

"Yeah, yer right." Tasuki lowered his tessen, Kouji doing the same with his sword and Nuriko with his wand. Placing all three items together, they concentrated their energies together, transporting them out of the dreadful place and reappearing in a part of the royal palace at the capital.

The two lovers reappeared in a bed on the far side of the room, Kouran still holding the wounded prince tightly even while they slept. Nuriko waved his wand, covering them in a warm blanket.

"We...have to go tell their majesties. And get a doctor in here quickly," he said sadly. None of them wanted to say what they were thinking – none of them wanted to admit that a doctor might not do much good, now.

So instead the others just nodded, exiting the room and closing the door behind them. There they split up, Tasuki running to fetch a physician while Nuriko and Kouji headed the opposite direction. Dread tugged at their hearts as they drew further down the stairs; this would not be easy to break to the royal family.

They had failed.

And Houjun... Houjun was going to die.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: ::wipes her eyes:: Oh this is just awful!! ::blows nose loudly:: I was really starting to hate myself when I finished this chapter...Poor 'Chiri!! Poor Kouran!! Poor Hikou!! Poor faeries!! ::huggles them all:: Please, please, no flames!! I got one more chapter to go, minna! No hurting the authoress!! ::puts on a safety helmet just in case::


	4. Part Four & Conclusion

Disclaimer: I do not own FY; it belongs to the wonderful Yuu Watase-sama. So, no stealing, no suing, no flaming, comprende? Cool. (Suboshi no miko) gave me this idea! Anyway, on with the story!  
  
**Last time:  
**

**There they split up, Tasuki running to fetch a physician while Nuriko and Kouji headed the opposite direction. Dread tugged at their hearts as they drew further down the stairs; this would not be easy to break to the royal family. **

**They had failed. **

**And Houjun... Houjun was going to die. **

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A mere two days had passed since the sovereigns were told of their son's birthday tragedy. The heartbroken emperor and empress paced in and out of their son's room, waiting in those last painful hours for his soul to depart. The three faeries came by as often as they could, guilt flooding into them each time they beheld his sleeping form. They attempted to use their magic to undo the curse, trying to bring him back to the world of the living, but they never received a response.

And whenever the faeries came, they always found Kouran at Houjun's side. All the time during the last two days, she hadn't left him, not once. Not even to eat. She hadn't the stomach to eat, anyway. How could she eat, at a time like this? The only person she had ever loved was dying.

And the reason she had devoted herself to him for so long was because Chichiri, miraculously, still lived, though just barely. The wound hadn't killed him instantly like Tenkou had planned, but his health swiftly declined and he was imprisoned in a comatose state. And everyone knew that soon, without any food or water, he would die of means other than wounds. The deep gash across his left eye had long been bandaged and most of the bleeding halted, but the sight of even the smallest splotches of blood seeping through the white gauze caused Kouran to cringe. She had seen the actual wound in full. And she herself had tried to staunch the precious blood flow with her own hand.

She knelt beside him, clasping his hand in hers as if willing him to wake up. 'He is becoming colder and colder each day, even though they pile blankets over him.' She moved her eyes back to the bandaged left side of his face, then shifted her gaze slowly to his peacefully lidded right eye.

"Houjun...can you hear me?" She paused, almost expecting him to reply back. But of course there was no answer. Maybe there never would be an answer. "Chichiri? Please...you have to wake up. If you don't, you will..." If he died, his kind and caring soul would forever be lost to that demon. She bit her lip, unwilling to finish her thought out loud.

The face almost parallel to her own remained tranquil, unmoving. She grasped his hand tighter, watching his chest rise and fall weakly under the sheets in a steady rhythm. She placed a gentle kiss on the back of his hand, shuddering as if her lips had touched a block of ice. 'And it's not just his hands. The rest of him is freezing up as well.' Despair overtook her again, moistening her eyes.

On impulse she leaned closer, hovering inches away from his slumbering face, cheeks flushing crimson before she closed her eyes and brushed her lips over his.

Like the rest of his body, his lips lacked the warm feeling usually associated with a kiss. 'A cold kiss...' The first kiss the two had, or would ever share. Her lover was dying, and there was nothing to prevent it. The prophecy would soon come to fruition, and Houjun would die, and his soul would spiral down into the dark depths of hell where the dark lord waited, and then...! The princess of Sairou shuddered at the thought of Houjun's fate at the hands of that demon, and she grasped his chilled palm even tighter.

Kouran sighed, trying to hold back a sob as she felt his hand tighten around her own...

Wait. Tighten around her own?!

Desperate hope flooded through her; she must be dreaming, she absolutely had to be dreaming! He couldn't have... but then his face twisted into a light frown, and he moaned softly as he tried to shake off the sleep that held him down. The princess held her breath, watching his good eye expectantly. Her patience soon paid off as she saw it slowly open. He blinked a few times, trying to shift from dreams and back into reality.

"Ch-Chichiri...?"

He tried to speak but found it difficult. He managed only to utter her name, but even that was barely audible, in the faintest whisper. "...Ko'ran...?"

Kouran threw herself down on his thin body, hugging the young man for all she was worth. He winced, still a bit sore from his dangerous encounter with Tenkou, but didn't have the heart to ask her to loosen her hold. Timidly his arms folded around her form, her warmth flooding into him as his good eye surveyed the unfamiliar room, wondering where in the world they could be.

But his mind didn't have far to wonder; Houjun uttered a surprised squeak as his beloved sealed her mouth over his for a soul-searing kiss. His single mahogany orb widened but soon became lidded, giving into the feeling of the kiss. She begged for entrance into his mouth and he obligated her without any resistance as Kouran returned the moisture he greatly lacked, twining her tongue with his. A soft moan escaped his throat, and he dove in even deeper, wishing to drown forever in their passion.

After a moment they paused for breath, and Kouran hugged him close, hot tears of joy trickling down her pale cheeks. "I thought I was going to lose you..." she whispered, one of the droplets splashing onto the skin of his partially exposed shoulder.

He lifted his head from the pillow and inhaled the scent of her hair. 'Jasmine...and cherry blossoms...' He smiled, letting the silky locks brush against his cheek as she shifted, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"Oh gods I love you, Chichiri."

--

A few weeks later, after his recovery, Houjun-sama found himself in a ballroom crowded with people he had never seen before, all dressed in masquerade. Many of them swirled around him, giving out compliments or commenting on his good looks, but all he could do was smile and nod. The smiling mask he wore assisted in that. He was talking to complete strangers, although they claimed to be his relatives and friends. The three faeries had been the only family he'd ever known for most of his life.

Luckily, he had managed to escape the hordes of people, finding refuge in a corner. But that wasn't the only thing that made him stand against the wall out of sight while others danced or chatted on the dancing floor.

The mask he wore covered a long, jagged scar that stretched over the once flawless skin of his left eye, forever sealing it shut. The wound no longer caused a threat and had long since healed, but the vicious mark left by it was something he was not yet ready to expose.

He closed his right eye, going back to that terrifying day, the day he allowed his best friend to die.

--

_"H-Hikou...!" All his struggling in an attempt to reach his friend did him no good. Scarlet flames burst up from the floor beneath his the other man's form, encasing him in its inescapable embrace; his painful screams still ringing through the stone tavern even after he vanished into oblivion._

**The dark lord turned, raising a pale hand in his direction, wicked yellow eyes focused on him. And then...**

--

He shuddered, recalling the feeling of the assault that had blinded his left eye, goose bumps forming over his skin at the memory of that horrible pain. Opening his good eye he frowned, guilt flooding his conscience. Too often he thought about his own bitter experience, when he should have been thinking of his friend.

"Hikou..." Instead of trying to break the spell holding him back, he'd just hung there like a helpless idiot and watched as his companion was killed. How pathetic. He knew magic, yet he didn't so much as lift a finger to prevent his friend's death. He recalled Hikou's last words as he stared up at the ceiling in his private corner. 'He wasn't even sure if we were still friends...' His chest tightened with emotion, one hand clenching weakly at his side while the other still held the smiling mask. 'Of course he was still my friend... He was, and...and you always will be. Hikou...'

A delicate hand touched his arm, causing him to glance down. A gentle face smiled up at him.

Kouran.

The princess of Sairou was dressed in her imperial best, like everyone else at the party. And, like everyone else, one soft white hand delicately held an ivory half-mask studded a few small glittering gems around the outer rims of the eyeholes. She rested her head on his shoulder briefly before looking back up at him. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, comforting him with her touch, frowning slightly when he turned his face away, the scarred side anyway.

"Hai, daijoubu..." He sighed, wishing he could have remained alone a little while longer. "Why aren't you out there enjoying yourself, Kouran?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright..." her voice was practically overflowing with concern. Houjun turned to her, trying his best to offer a real smile.

"I am... really. You don't have to worry about me..."

But she didn't believe it. Not for a moment. The look of sadness in his single mahogany orb gave it away. He had been this way since... since _that_ day... Kouran mentally shook her head. She had to think of some way to divert his attention away from that horrible incident. Anything that would get her love to smile, a true smile...

Brilliant light flooded into her eyes as she hugged his arm to her chest, looking up at him and tilting her head aside just a bit. "Come dance with me!" she begged, giving him a puppy-face that made his heart melt.

"B-but I can't dance Kouran! I wasn't raised in the palace like you were; I don't know how!"

"Oh come on...what does that matter? I can help you to learn. Please? Just for a little bit. Pretty please?" She tugged at his arm, pulling him further and further away from his wall.

"Kouran, I already told you: I can't dance! I'll look like a fool out there with all the people around watching us...!" He tried to pull out of her grasp, but both her hands tightened resolutely on his arm. Houjun, realizing that he wasn't going to win this battle, slipped the mask back on his face as the young princess pulled him into the light.

"Not even a slow dance?" she asked, shifting her sparkling hazel eyes in his direction.

His cheeks heated up beneath the mask. "Daaa...I'm sure I would probably mess that up too no da."

The princess' face formed into a small pout. "Well fine, if you'd rather not be around me for awhile..."

The prince froze; he actually did want her company, more than anything in the world! "I-I never said that Kouran-"

"Then dance with me," she stated it so simply, delicately folding her hands in front of her. Looking around, Chichiri realized he was on the dance floor now. Crafty little thing; she'd pulled him out from his little hiding place and now they were in the center of the ballroom. All eyes were on him now. And he felt really uncomfortable with all the people in the room staring at their newfound prince.

"Chichiri?" Kouran whispered. She slipped her mask back on and slid her hand into his, the swift movement startling him. He stood there numbly as she took his other hand and guided it down to her waist before placing her own hand on his arm. The music began playing. Around them others began to dance, easily following the melody and stepping accordingly.

Glancing aside serenely, Kouran's eyes shifted back to her partner, not in the least worried about the looks she was getting from the others. "Ready?" she whispered, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

After swallowing, the prince nodded. 'I'm going to make a fool of myself no da... Well, here it goes.' He tried to mimic the way the others around them were dancing, but they had moved only a foot before Chichiri felt an odd tingling sensation inside of him. Looking around, he couldn't understand what it was or what might have caused it, but at the same time he continued moving.

Kouran giggled, making him look down with a start.

"I didn't mess up did I no da?" he whispered anxiously, looking around to see if anyone was whispering about it.

Still smiling, the girl shook her head. "You rotten liar..." She laid her head against his shoulder as the two moved. "You can so dance. And don't try to get out of it because you're doing it right now."

"Wha...?" His single eye widened at the sudden realization, and all he could do was stare blankly ahead as the music continued to move them. He was dancing! "B-but...how can I be...?"

She giggled lightly again, placing a finger over his mouth. "Don't try to figure out how, Chichiri. Just stay here with me. Please?"

The tension fled from his body. Her voice had a calming affect on him, making his hand move around her waist with more reassurance. "Yes, I'll stay, don't worry." He smiled and lead them around on the dance floor as the musicians continued to play.

Off to the side, Nuriko grinned to himself, satisfied with what he had done. Lifting his wand, he blew on it, causing a few specks of magic to sparkle from the tip, noticeably quite pleased. Kouji leaned nearby against a pillar. Next to him, Tasuki stood, only partially watching the dancers. He didn't particularly care for dancing since you had to partner with women, and he clearly detested women.

"Nice goin', Nuriko." Kouji grinned, turning from observing the couple as they danced among many other nobles.

The violet-haired fairy nodded. "Well, as much as I'd like to, I can't take all the credit. Kouran came up with the idea and asked me to 'help him along,' as she put it."

Kouji smirked. "Clever little vixen, ain't she?"

Nuriko nodded. "Yes, that's what I thought too..." He gasped.

"What's the matter?"

"I-it's blue!!" Nuriko hissed through his teeth, mentally bashing himself for only noticing it at that moment. Knowing who had changed the color of their adopted son's kesa, he scowled, raising his wand and pointing it at the article of clothing the prince wore over the top of his new clothes. "Pink!"

Out on the dance floor, Chichiri's bubble-pattern cloak turned a girly shade of pink, but the two lovebirds didn't notice right away. But someone else did, and he was clearly disgusted with it. Sliding out his tessan, Tasuki whispered the color he wanted, bringing it back to what it was before. Nuriko saw this, and took aim again, changing it back to pink. And then Tasuki changed it back to blue. And it kept changing. Blue, pink, blue, pink, blue, pink, blue...

Her head now resting against his chest as the song wound down, Kouran let out a small laughing sound, fingering the material as she attracted her partner's attention. It took him a moment to notice what was happening and immediately started looking around for the culprits, trying not to make a scene while doing so. Finding them, he half-removed his mask, narrowing his remaining eye at them piercingly, just as the robe changed back to blue. Both caught the silent message and stopped.

The music drew out its final note and finally trailed off into nothingess. Kouran lifted her head to look into his face as the two completed one final circle. Timidly she tilted her head back, leaning towards him on tiptoes. Chichiri met her halfway, feeling the mask being gently pulled from his face by her hand; both closed their eyes as their lips met.

The rhapsody had come to a close, and so had the story.

**THE END**

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A/N: Well, well, ya knew all along that I couldn't kill 'Chiri, right? Hee! Review and tell me what y'all think of this here fanfic! I'm dying to know what you think!

SPECIAL THANKS: First of all, I wanted to thank me beta, Dee-chan (pen name: It's the Dee) for helping me with my writing skills. They would have been greatly lacking if not for her excellent critiquing skills. So, Dee-chan, Arigatou gozaimasu! ::huggles:: I enjoyed your stories before I even had an account on ffnet, and I'm psyched up about 'Rhapsody of Fallen Stars'; please update soon!

Ali-chan (Suboshi no Miko), thank you so much for giving me this idea! If not for you, this fanfic would not exist right now...and that would be a very sad thing because it was so fun to write and plan out! ::huggles:: Thanks a lot gal pal. Ai'shiteru zutto watashi no tomodaichi!

And thank you all for reading this fanfic; an authoress always appreciates reviews! ::smiles:: Especially the long ones, heheheh... Look for my other fic-in-progress 'Gathering Again' to be updated; I was kinda taking a break from it during the making of 'Awakening Love.' Don't worry, I'll find the time to update asap! I've got it covered! Well minna, until a later fic, ja ne!

Amaya-san


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